


you look like a stranger

by brighterthanacarnival



Series: for the love of you [1]
Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: F/M, Inspired by the song "Old Fashioned Hat" by Anaïs Mitchell, One Shot, they're ready to figure things out, when she came back in the fall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 23:16:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18980359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brighterthanacarnival/pseuds/brighterthanacarnival
Summary: “I missed you.”It wasn’t him who said it this time. It was her.





	you look like a stranger

  _Hades paced the tiled ground of the indoor station, straining to hear the hint of the coming train. He couldn’t help feeling worried. What if she didn’t come? What if she came only to beg him to let her go back to the world above?_

_ She’d eaten six seeds, but had she come to regret that choice? _

_ He watched with a mixture of worry and excitement as the train rolled in, steam billowing. Seconds later, he heard his wife’s voice echo through the station. _

_ “Hades!” _

_ Persephone jumped down from the steps of the train, Hermes following behind with her bag. Hades felt his shoulders relax and a smile spread across his face. She ran into her husband’s arms, proceeding to kiss him over and over again. He leaned down so she could, his hands getting tangled in her hair. _

_ Six months was much too long of a time. How could he handle an eternity of this—an endless lifetime of waiting for her to come back to him? _

_ It was her first time returning to the Underworld. _

_ “Don’t you dare let me leave again. Ma has been a nightmare. I can’t tell you how many—” She laughed. He was kissing her neck. “Hades!” He paused, allowing her to speak. “I can’t tell you how many times I nearly came back too soon.” _

_ “You should have.” _

_ He grinned and led the way across the station. Their footsteps were awkward as they stumbled away, stealing kisses as they went. _

-

Persephone caught a glimpse of Hades’ hat; the same one he’d worn in the garden all those years ago. Steam wafted through the station, so it was hard to see him until it cleared. She registered the tense expression on his face. She was sure she didn’t seem any more confident than he did as she descended the steep steps of the train. She noticed the way he took off his hat. He held it in his hands as he cleared his throat. Hermes didn’t waste any time leaving them alone, thank gods.

It was just them in the station with the empty train behind her. She lifted her chin, trying to summon courage before she approached her husband. He placed his hat on his head and held his hand out to her. She took it, ready to tear down the abstract walls they’d both helped to construct.

“I missed you.”

It wasn’t him who said it this time. It was her.

The three words jolted Hades, her meaningful tone a surprise. They weren’t laced with sarcasm or the smell of booze, which was a promising start. He almost smiled as the simple words washed over him before he realized the weight of what she meant.

Six months hadn’t been the cause of her longing for him. They’d both missed each other for more years than they could count. He couldn’t remember when the missing had begun.

With her hand in his, she waited for him to respond. He focused on the ground, avoiding her gaze. She wanted him to look at her.

“Didn’t go with the shades today, huh?”

A laugh emanated from him. Even with all their fights in years past, there were a few good memories. His wife often teased him about his sunglasses, saying that he only wore them because he wanted to appear more intimidating than he actually was.

“Not today.”

Silence fell between them again. Persephone could hear the distant sounds of workers’ voices. She wanted him to keep talking about anything as long as they could get through this moment.

“Why so quiet, husband?” She didn’t mean for her voice to sound wistful. She put on a hesitant grin. “Ain’t you glad to see me?”

Her voice sounded more honeyed than usual. She smelled of summertime and it made him want to tell her to get back on the train. Sometimes, he felt like he’d made a monumental mistake as a young man when he’d asked her to take pity on his heart. Their love had flourished when she first split her time between the Underworld and above, but that had changed.

The Underworld was a kingdom of death. She was the personification of life. What he had to offer was everything she didn’t need.

He swallowed, overcome with emotion as he squeezed her hand a little too tightly.

“I’m always happy to see you.”

“You don’t look it.” She paused and continued. “I half-expected you to come for me three months in.”

He winced. His hold on her lessened and she drew away from him. She gripped her bag with both hands.

“I told you I would wait.”

She softened, affected by the sudden gentleness of his voice. She wasn’t sure what to do with this man. For so long, she’d known him as a king who was incapable of listening to a word she said. She’d tried and tried to reason with him for how many years?

But he was so...quiet now. And he had the nerve to pick her up from the station wearing that damned hat?

She grasped for a different subject.

“How’s Eurydice?”

She expected him to frown in confusion.

“She’s alright. I’ve been keeping an eye on her.”

Persephone’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really?”

He nodded.

“How’s Orpheus?”

Persephone shrugged, her expression sad.

“He’s...managing.”

The last time she saw the boy was in the bar with no guitar slung across his back. He hadn’t played since he sang for Hades. Sometimes, when he had a few drinks in him, Orpheus sang his familiar melody quietly to himself.

The king and queen were quiet for a minute, unsure of what to say. Hades cleared his throat.

“Come with me?”

He offered his hand again and she took it. Their footsteps echoed as they walked through the empty train station, feeling stiff and unsure.

-

_ After a long morning of going through paperwork together, they stole away to the Asphodel Meadows. Persephone snatched Hades’ hat, causing him to groan in pretend annoyance. Her shoulders were bare, warmed by the sun despite how unlike the real one it felt. She smiled and placed the hat on her head. _

_ “How do I look, darling?” _

_ He laughed at the way she said ‘darling’ in a sarcastic tone. He reached lazily, pretending to make an attempt for his hat. _

_ “Give it back.” _

_ “Oh, no, darling. It’s mine, now.” _

_ “Whatever you say, darling.” _

_ Persephone took it off and twirled the hat around with her finger, raising her eyebrows at him. _

_ “Giving up?” _

_ He leaned back and lay down on the ground. _

_ “I guess so.” _

_ She rested next to him, the hat still in her hands. She placed it on his face, over the wrinkles he should have been too young to have. He snorted and took it off. _

_ They lay there, enjoying the quiet. After a while, Hades opened his eyes. He turned over to see his wife's thoughtful expression, her fingers twirling in the crabgrass. _

_ “What are you thinking about?” _

_ She gave a small smile and shook her head as if to say ‘it’s nothing’. _

_ “It’s just that...I miss the flowers.” _

_ He peered closer then to see that she was trying to make flowers grow in the grass, but she wasn’t having much luck. _

_ He remembered her with her pollen fingertips in the garden; how alive she’d seemed. It was humbling to realize that she might miss the spring and the summer in the Underworld as much as she claimed to miss him during the warm seasons. _

_ The ‘sun’ seemed even colder as he pondered over this. _

-

The streets glowed with fewer neon lights. The ‘sky’ glittered with ‘stars’ gleaming in shades of green, blue, and red. The air wasn’t filled with as much smoke as it had been a year ago and there weren’t as many workers wandering along the roads. Persephone exhaled slowly as if she’d been holding her breath since the end of winter.

“It’s not finished yet,” Hades stated.

It was already so much better compared to how it had been before.

He glanced at her, attempting to ascertain her reaction. Her eyes were wide in what seemed to be surprise, but she was calm otherwise. Was this enough proof for her? Would she understand that what she wanted would take longer than six months to accomplish?

“Persephone?” Her name felt like nectar on his lips. She gazed up at him, tears gathering in her eyes. Why wouldn’t she speak?

She reached up and kissed his cheek, warmth spreading from where her lips met his skin. She wiped under her eyes and looked away as if embarrassed by her sudden display of affection. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he tilted her head up with his finger under her chin and kissed her hard.

It wasn’t carefree like when they were younger. They were both afraid and careful after everything they’d been through. When they broke apart, Hades’ eyes were filled with emotion as well.

“Why did it take this long to listen, lover?” she asked.

He hesitated.

“I wanted to give you everything,” he muttered, “but I can’t give you anything from your world. I can’t give you anything you need or want. You’re forced to be with me for half of your life and I can’t—”

His voice broke. These were the feelings he had harbored ever since she’d first come back to the Underworld as his wife.

They were still standing outside the train station. What would happen when they went back to living together? Would it be the same routine as usual? Would he stay at work later and later, not wanting to go home to her? Would she leave him to ruling the kingdom alone, dreading his company as she sought comfort from her liquor?

He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her as they ignored everything around them. Hades heard her sniff and he held her even tighter.

“I was well aware when I ate those seeds,” she stated, her words muffled by the fabric of his clothes. “I knew what it meant. I made my choice long ago.”

They let go of each other.

“But I know—”

“Don’t. You’ve got it wrong, Hades.”

He shook his head. It was obvious he didn’t believe her.

“I love you just as much as I did when we got married.”

“I’m not enough for you. That’s why all of this happened. I was trying to be enough and...I can’t be.”

His voice broke again. She felt like she was sinking, his words dragging her down. How long had he thought like this? He drew in a slow breath, playing with his wedding ring as Persephone stared at him—this stranger.

Was this how Orpheus felt, too? Did he feel unworthy of Eurydice’s love now that they were separated, one in the Underworld and the other in the world above? The boy’s voice came to her, the notes of the once-forgotten song ringing in her mind.

“La...la la la la la la.”

Hades was the only one close enough to hear her sing the notes under her breath. The factory sounds dwindled as workers left for their breaks.

“I don’t regret marrying you,” she said after a brief silence.

She’d contributed to this mess—to him feeling unworthy of her. She wanted to take back all of the hurtful things she had ever said. She longed to show him how much she missed him—how much she loved him.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too," he responded.

They gazed at the street in front of them, neither of them looking at the other. Could they do this? Could they go home and finally be at peace with each other? Persephone hesitated before she spoke.

“I like your hat.”

The compliment was so random, he gave a brief laugh, causing her to feel another jolt of joy.

“Thank you, darling.”

They would be okay. Not right away, of course. But, one day, they would know each other again.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to the song "Old Fashioned Hat" by Anaïs Mitchell and couldn't help being reminded of Hades and Persephone. I adore these characters so much! Thanks for reading!


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